America's abundance of natural gas is often described as a boon to national security and a "bridge" to a clean, low-carbon energy economy. It is an exciting future, but we are not there yet.

The rush to develop the nation's abundant natural-gas reserves is trampling the environment and needlessly risking the health of communities in which gas development occurs. More needs to be done to ensure that the carbon benefits ascribed to natural gas are real and sustained.

It is long past time to require energy producers to fully disclose the chemicals used in the fluids for fracturing shale. Citizens are justifiably concerned about these industrial materials, which are being used in proximity to their homes and water supplies. Producers insist that their chemical cocktails are safe, but their claims cannot be verified because the industry withholds that information. People get the distinct impression that the industry has something to hide.

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Building trust is crucial, and it begins with transparency. Tapping our nation's plentiful natural-gas reserves requires drilling wells in rural communities and suburban neighborhoods previously untouched by energy production. People are anxious about having a large, new industrial activity right next door. They expect natural gas producers to do the right thing. Requiring producers to disclose the chemicals in hydraulic fracturing fluid should be a no-brainer.

For all the attention given to technologies like horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, some of the greatest gains to be made in reducing the environmental risks of natural-gas production come from simple things like the proper pouring of cement well casings and the proper handling of chemicals and wastewater, so that they do not spill or seep into streams or water supplies.

Avoiding spills is not rocket science. Properly constructing and operating wells is a highly technical enterprise, but most natural-gas producers know how to do it. Too many are simply failing to achieve consistently good performance.

‘Requiring producers to disclose the chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing should be a no-brainer. ’

Better regulations are needed on things like well construction and wastewater management, particularly in states without a recent history of natural gas production. With that in mind, the Environmental Defense Fund, Southwestern Energy and other progressive gas producers and environmental groups are working to develop a model regulatory framework for safe drilling that can serve as the foundation for better operations. Equally important, regulatory agencies will need greater resources for the timely and thorough review of permit applications, as well as for robust enforcement.

Still, environmentally sound natural gas production will never exist until producers themselves get serious about environmental management. Natural-gas production takes place at thousands of wells spread over many hundreds of miles in a given state. Even under the best of circumstances, there will not be enough inspectors to oversee them all. Each company must operate with the understanding that its reputation, and the reputation of the industry as a whole, is only as good as the last well completed.

If natural gas is to be a near-term solution for a clean energy future, the industry also must be much more rigorous in measuring, publicly reporting and fixing leaks in the production and distribution process. Natural gas is a potent greenhouse gas, so leaks can undermine much of the low-carbon benefits that come from using it to replace fuels like coal and oil. Preventing leaks also cuts back on other air pollutants associated with gas production and use, including such volatile organic compounds as ethane and butane.

Cost-effective solutions for minimizing leaks exist. Many of these technologies have relatively quick paybacks. And the benefits work both ways: They can both reduce emissions and increase the bottom line of producers.

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